Chicago is buzzing with anticipation. Lionel Messi is scheduled to return to Soldier Field with Inter Miami this Sunday, and fans are once again hoping that their long wait to see the Argentine icon in action will finally end. The big question on everyone’s mind: Will Messi play? With ticket sales surging and expectations soaring, both Chicago Fire head coach Gregg Berhalter and Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano have shared their thoughts, providing insight—but no guarantees.
The last two attempts to see Messi in Chicago ended in frustration. In 2022, a record 61,000 fans packed Soldier Field only to find out Messi wouldn’t play due to injury. In 2023, the heartbreak repeated. Though over 55,000 tickets were sold, the Argentine superstar didn’t travel, and the club offered compensation to fans.
But this time might be different. Not only has Messi been in electric form lately, but Miami is also riding a high from their stunning comeback CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter-final win over LAFC. Messi scored twice to lead a 3-2 aggregate victory and book a spot in the semifinals against Vancouver.
What did Gregg Berhalter say?
Former USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter, now in his first year with the Chicago Fire, is confident Messi will step onto the pitch at Soldier Field. “I expect Messi to be fully playing,” Berhalter told reporters. “He’s a guy that wants to compete. He has done well at Soldier Field. Soldier Field’s a great stadium, iconic stadium… guys like that, you know, they play in games. That’s what they do.”
Berhalter doesn’t want his team to focus too much on stopping Messi or Luis Suarez, instead emphasizing a proactive mindset. “They’re too good,” he said. “It’s about limiting the damage and how do we hurt them when we have the ball. They showed vulnerability against LA, but defensively we can be at our best and still get hurt. If you do one thing wrong, you get punished.”
What did Javier Mascherano say?
Javier Mascherano has been cautious in revealing his lineup plans. Still, the Inter Miami manager hinted that Messi and the “Big Four”—Messi, Suarez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets—are likely to feature if fully fit. “If they are feeling fine, they will play,” the Argentine manager said. “By feeling fine, I mean 100 percent physically and mentally. If any of them are not, they will rest, but our idea is to put the best out there.”
He reflected on the team’s recent strategy against Toronto, where all four veterans started despite fixture congestion. “Yes, sometimes you must manage minutes, but the team dynamics and getting good results are also important,” he added. “Those four help us a lot with leadership on game days. We want to manage the load but also use them as much as possible.”
